START AT THE BOTTOM
Okay, like everyone else on the planet, I thought the entire “waitress finds, then loses, $12,000” debacle was totally bogus. But when everyone wanted to blame the entire Moorhead Police Department, that’s where I got off the wagon.
Frankly, I talked to two Moorhead police officers who I know did not agree with how things were handled. And no, I’m not naming them. Both would like to keep their jobs, and as in every other position, the people at the ranking end don’t have any decision-making powers. All they can do is follow procedures, while silently disagreeing. Making noise or displaying their discomfort or disagreement with whatever decision is made by those who hold the reins of power (and in this case, way above their pay grades) won’t do them or the public or person at the center of the disagreement any good.
Which leads me to question just exactly who did decide that the waitress at the Fryn’ Pan who discovered the money, called the police, followed procedures, and waited the length of time required, should then be patted on the head like a good doggie, handed a reward “treat” of $1,000 and told the remaining $11,000 belonged to the Moorhead Police Department?
Was this a scheme to keep forfeited money the Moorhead PD just wanted to keep so it looked better on their reports of confiscated drug money or to balance their budget? Was this something decided within the top levels of the police department? Was the Clay County Attorney’s office involved?
Because someone along the way made the determination that the $12,000 belonged to Moorhead Police Department, and when something as totally unjust as this happens, it reflects on the entire police department, not just the final wizard making the ultimate “because I said so” decision.
That is wrong. Beat cops all the way up the ranks of sergeants and lieutenants and so on simply do not have that power. And for the public to throw a blanket of blame on the average police officer who goes to work every day to protect the majority of us by going into places most of us would not be caught dead in, breaking up domestic arguments between violent partners who are usually drunk, high on drugs, or both, and often have weapons, are the first at the scene of fires, accidents, suicides, death by natural causes, murders, shootings—accidental or otherwise, calls for child abuse—both physical and sexual, rapes, robberies, and are ready and willing every day to put their lives at risk, is not only a hundred percent wrong, it’s just plain ignorant.
I agree that someone should be held accountable for trying to snarf away “found money” from the waitress at the Fryn’ Pan, especially in light of the fact that there was no particular “drug investigation” they could link such a large sum of money to. So…instead of making nasty comments on the radio with only a first-name identity about “cops” in general, why not go after the person or persons actually responsible for making the ultimate decision that the Moorhead Police should keep the money? Let’s find out WHO made that decision.
Then maybe we can all be assured that such a blatant pull of power will stay in check next time. In the meantime, the next time you see a man or woman wearing a uniform and a badge, THANK THEM. Because if you think things are bad now…imagine the world we would all face without them.
MOVES AND NEWS
Recently the FM Symphony office moved to the WDAY tower off of 8th Street South. I can understand why Linda Coats would prefer this building. However, what I wonder about is how in the world did she manage to miss the elevator? According to the blurb written in The Forum on April 2, the main problem for the Symphony office at the Townsite building in Moorhead was that there was no elevator access to her office on the second floor. Unless Coats needed to move something the size of a Mac truck up to her office, I cannot imagine why the elevator at the Townsite would not be sufficient. It is all of sixty paces away from where the Symphony office is, er, was – straight down the hallway to the door. I know this because The Extra is in the very same building.
However, if Linda’s able to get an office space for $400 less than she was paying, that’s more money saved by the donors of the FM Symphony.
COMING UP
A MOTHER’S CELEBRATION! April 21 at both Mother’s locations in Fargo and Moorhead will have live acoustic performances at the Moorhead location, exclusive indie LP/CD releases at both locations & free snacks/soda at both locations! FEATURING: Blind Joe, Michael Pink, Damned by Design, Cheef, Chaos in Question, Crab Legs, Anomic, A Dying Tide, Tony Lee, Ingamar, Orange Sundays + more! FREE ADMISSION!! Come one, come all!
PINWHEELS FOR PEACE
and KIDS ARE THEIR BUSINESS
Community members are invited to “give a kid an hour” as the Rape and Abuse Crisis Center will host the 22nd annual Kids Are Our Business Breakfast on Tuesday, April 24 from 7:30-8:30 AM at the Fargo Holiday Inn. The program will include a story told by a young adult whose life has been affected by domestic violence, his courageous account of this experience, and how with the help he found through the Rape and Abuse Crisis Center he is able to continue forward. Music will be provided by the Lake Agassiz Girl’s Choir-Cantare.
This is an opportunity for the public to see firsthand the work of the Rape and Abuse Crisis Center and learn of the help, healing, and hope provided to 535 children affected by domestic violence and child sexual abuse in 2011.
As the Rape and Abuse Crisis Center does not charge for any client services, tickets to the event are $65, which is the approximate cost of one hour of agency services. Tickets are available online at www.raccfm.com, at the Rape and Abuse Crisis Center’s main office at 317 N. 8th Street in Fargo, or call (701) 293-7273 for more information.
Dakota Medical Foundation is a gold sponsor of this event and will provide a match opportunity for donations of $50-1,000 made at or after the breakfast event. Bronze sponsors of the breakfast event include the Kiwanis Club of Fargo, Lavelle Company, Prairie St. John’s, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, and the West Fargo Exchange Club.
The public is also invited to visit the Pinwheels for Peace display in Island Park April 22-27 to view the display of 535 pinwheels representing the number of children helped at the Rape and Abuse Crisis Center in 2011. The pinwheels were provided by Prevent Child Abuse North Dakota.
For more information, please call (701) 293-7273 or visit www.raccfm.com.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to BERYL KIRSCHNER and CAROL NORBY, and
BELATED BIRTHDAY GREETINGS TO VALORIE LETKEMAN!
Any questions and emails for Soo send to: sooasheim@aol.com